Zucchini Enchiladas

I probably have more zucchini recipes than any other category on this site, but I'm not apologizing.  Using zucchini when you live in Utah could be compared to wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and dealing with manna.  It's a gift that is given freely and you need to learn to use it up!

Of all the zucchini recipes I've tried, this one has to be among my favorite.  I made it several times last summer.  I love how the moist zucchini softens the tortillas and combines with the flavors so well.  The enchilada sauce is not from a can, but is so simple to make yourself.  It simmers slowly while you assemble everything, then smothers it all in a rich red sauce.  (If you're serving children, you might cut down the amounts of cumin and chili powder slightly).

You could also use chicken or pork with good results.  But good old ground beef couldn't be easier.  I prefer flour tortillas, as they don't disintegrate as they bake.  But corn tortillas work also - just lessen your baking time slightly.

Zucchini Enchiladas

Ingredients:

12 flour tortillas (or corn, if desired)

1 lb ground beef (or cooked shredded chicken, or shredded pork)

1/2 onion, diced

2-3 cups shredded zucchini

Grated cheese (I use Mexican three-cheese blend, or Colby/Jack) - use at least 1 lb, or more as desired.

Salt & pepper (and other seasoning) to taste

Enchilada Sauce:

1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup chili powder

1 15-oz can tomato sauce

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion salt

1/2 tsp salt

Directions: 

Begin with enchilada sauce:  

Heat oil in saucepan, then whisk in flour and chili powder.  Brown slightly, then add in tomato sauce, broth, cumin, garlic powder, onion salt, and salt.  Stir until smooth and continue simmering over medium heat about 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Use immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days.  (Recipe from recipegirl.com)  Allow sauce to stay warm as you assemble.

Brown ground beef with onion, then add zucchini and cook slightly until zucchini becomes limp.  Remove meat/zucchini mixture to a strainer to allow excess moisture/fat to drain off.    Season meat mixture if desired.

Pour enough enchilada sauce into baking dish to cover bottom.  

Cover each tortilla with cheese, then add enough meat/zucchini mixture to cover.  Roll loosely.  Line up on top of enchilada sauce in baking pan, pressing them into each other so they do not collapse.  

Sprinkle generously with additional cheese.  Add remaining enchilada sauce, covering completely.  Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Bake at 350° (UN-covered, as zucchini will keep it very moist) until bubbling and hot - at least 45 minutes for a large batch.  Serve with guacamole and sour cream.  

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

This is a recipe adapted from a Betty Crocker Slow Cooker Recipes Cookbook.  Works well with either frozen (which I used), or fresh boneless chicken breast.  Also easily adapted to stovetop preparation.  

We loved this soup.  Although it's not quite as rich and creamy as a previous post (Creamy White Chicken Chili - link is HERE), it has the same "comfort" level.  

The difference is how much TIME and effort it took to make it (AND this chili has corn - which is a nice addition)  I would say this is the "speedy" version of the same great soup.  It took so little time to throw together, I really didn't think it would be a success.  I love surprises.

Recipe source:  food.com

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

1-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, or use tenders)
2 15-oz cans Great Northern Beans (or substitute Navy Beans)
1 15-oz can white corn (or Hominy)
1-1/4 oz envelope Taco Seasoning Mix (I used about 2 Tbs from a bulk container)
1 4-1/2 oz can chopped green chilies
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (undiluted)
1 14-oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped green onions - for garnish
Monterey Jack cheese (shredded) - garnish 

Place chicken in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.  

Top with beans and corn (I drained & rinsed the beans, but added corn with the liquid)

In a bowl - combine taco seasoning mix with chiles, soup, and chicken broth.  Stir until smooth.  Then pour over the top of ingredients in the crock pot.  

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

Before serving, remove chicken breast and dice (or leave in crock pot and shred with a fork).

Stir in the sour cream.  

Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

Creamy Ro*Tel Enchiladas

For the creamiest enchiladas ever - this recipe includes cream cheese, whipping cream, and Ro*Tel (oh... and don’t forget the chicken & cheese)  This is not health food, I know.  Just a great weeknight comfort dish.  A serving of these is great incentive to work out at the gym (for an extra long time...)

I would wager that every single family in the USA has their own version of creamy chicken enchiladas.  Most of them contain sour cream and cream-of-something condensed soup.

This one, however, is different.  It has a bit of a kick (depending on the heat of the Ro*Tel tomato mixture you are using.  Adjust according to your own family “heat index”.

Ro*Tel began in 1943 in a small family canning plant in Elsa, Texas.  Carl Roettele and his wife processed over 25,000 cases of vegetables a year - but their specialty was tomatoes with green chilies.  He changed the spelling on the cans because he knew no one would be able to spell (or pronounce) “Roettele”.  Soon, the wife of a popular politician in Washington bragged to a national magazine about her chili recipe.  She revealed to them the secret ingredient that made her chili better than anyone else’s - Ro*Tel tomatoes with green chilies.

The blend of these tomatoes together with diced chicken and the creamy sauce(s) is legendary.  Making them with flour tortillas helps them hold together much better than corn tortillas.  

These are especially good warmed in the microwave as leftovers (they were a hot item around here until they were gone a day later).

For this very simple recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Ninfa's Green Sauce

This sauce has been served alongside a fiery red sauce at Tex-Mex eateries throughout the Houston area for over a decade.  It’s a cooling antidote for those times you’ve indulged in a little too much hot salsa with your chips.  A combination of tomatillo, avocado, jalapeno, sour cream, cilantro, etc.

“Mama” Nifa Rodrigues Laurenzo has been gone for many years, but her famous sauce lives on.  I tried a version of it at a local mexican restaurant called “Los Cucos” in the Salt Lake Valley.  I didn’t know what it was called at the time - but by googling the ingredients I thought it contained, I found it: Ninfa’s Green Sauce.

Avocados & sour cream make this a cooler sauce than your standard salsa - but it’s the tomatillos & jalapenos that give it a little tangy kick.  It’s not spicy at all (unless you add a lot of jalapenos).  If you aren’t a fan of cilantro - you can omit it (but I wouldn’t recommend that)  Add a lot more than it calls for if you enjoy cilantro.

You’ll find this sauce will hook you after a handful of chips.  But it’s also good in tacos, on fish, or in place of guacamole with any southwest dish.  

You can adjust the ‘chunkiness’ to your liking.  Some of my kids prefer a little less sour cream, others want to lose the cilantro.  But the majority of us like it just the way it is.

For the recipe - go to:
www.changeabletable.com

Skillet Queso (like Chili's)

My son-in-law loves Chili’s - and especially their Skillet Queso.  I have to admit, I’m starting to love it too - (although I prefer their wonderful salmon).  Randy thought this was pretty close to the real deal.  (Now if there were a way to get our chips to be like theirs - paper-thin and warm from the oven...?)

A quiet evening at home, or a Saturday afternoon after yard work just cry out for a snack.  My daughter, husband, and new baby Kate are staying at my home for a few weeks while he finishes up a tax internship.  This stay has benefits - I get to snuggle with a brand new baby - and I also get to cook for someone (besides myself for once)

I decided to try tweaking a copy-cat recipe for Chili’s Skillet Queso Saturday afternoon after I cleaned out all the new weeds and last winter’s leaves that had accumulated.  The recipe I made for New Year’s Eve was good, but it wasn’t the real deal.  I also made some mistakes on that version that I was determined to fix.  

Mistake #1:  Velveeta cheese WILL burn if not stirred constantly.  

Mistake #2:  Just cheese and chili together are too thick to heat without scorching.

Mistake #3:  There isn’t enough spice alone in the chili without beans.  You need to bring it up a notch for an authentic Chili’s Queso.

I thought adding milk would make it too thin, but it actually made it creamier and easier to dip.  A touch of lime juice really brightened the flavor too.

I wouldn't recommend putting it in a crockpot to keep warm - even that small amount of heat will scorch it.  The heated cast-iron skillets they serve from at Chili’s is just enough heat to keep it dip-able for a surprisingly long amount of time.

But it won’t take long to dip through this.  It is really fun to just sit down with a HUGE bag of Costco chips and enjoy the experience.

For the recipe (with all the additions that make it authentic) - go to:  www.changeabletable.com

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Years ago as a young mom, I just assumed it was rocket science to make your own flour tortillas.  Had I known they were this easy, we would have had them as often as sliced bread.  (Sorry kids - I didn’t know!)  With a food processor they’re ready in minutes, by hand - just a few more.  Delicious!

My sister-in-law, Peggy, was one of those iconic moms that did EVERYTHING.  You know the type of person I’m talking about - totally ‘together’.  She made everything by hand, AND her kids loved her for it.  She made homemade flour tortillas for the huge family parties we always had when one of the cousins had a birthday.  She rolled out tortillas all day long so everyone could enjoy them that night.  I remember asking her if they were hard to make - and she smiled and emphatically said “no”.

Homemade tortillas are especially good in Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Back then, my idea of making homemade tacos involved buying a megapack of tortillas at Costco.  They were convenient, easily frozen, and totally acceptable.  But now that I have learned to make tortillas myself, I believe it’s worth the tiny sacrifice of convenience.  Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a package?  Enough said.

These are even more fluffy and tender - you can make them any size you need.  They are easy to freeze and taste just as good (if not better) than those I purchased.

You can make these in a bowl by hand, as well as with a food processor.  No fancy equipment needed to roll them out.  A few sprinkles of flour and a good rolling pin.  Done.

If you want them super-fresh, cook them as you prepare the rest of your taco ingredients (like browning the meat, dicing tomatoes, etc).  If you want them done beforehand, keep them covered in foil in a warm oven and they will be just as delicious.

For the recipe, with step-by-step photos, go to:
www.changeabletable.com